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Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sunday Already!

Today's Harvest

I'm just about to the point that I might not ever want to see another tomato again. I've spent every day this past week putting up one kind or another of tomato product. I still haven't done some of the "tomato projects" I had hoped to do, the weather has just been too hot for cooking. I do have an outside burner set up in the shade to can on. It's sure come in handy since there is no way I could be doing all this in the house. It's just too hot with no AC. I am happy to say we've had a banner year for tomato's but I'll be glad when the processing is done! Canning is easy, its the preparation beforehand that takes awhile.

This week I was able to put up another canner load of salsa and several quarts (I think 21 so far) of whole and quartered tomato's. I also put up 7 quarts of a nice blend of tomato's, onions and jalapeno's for a kind of a "Ro-Tel" tomato mix. I'm thinking I'll probably put up another batch or two of that. I just love Ro-Tel tomato's in so many dishes. I've been drying tomato's as well. My dehydrator's have pretty much been working 24/7 for the past month. I saw an article (well several actually) about drying tomato skins to grind and use as a tomato powder. I'll be sure to let you know how that comes out. My first attempt is in the dehydrator right now and will be ready to work with today. I've also been drying green peppers, lots of okra, and onions. We just pulled up the last of the onions so I'll be focusing on those next. They did really well this year. I think we've probably got around 40 pounds or so. Not bad for a first attempt!It's hard to believe that as hot as it is right now it's time to be starting the fall garden here. After such a big spring/summer garden this year we've decided to slow the roll just a bit this fall. There are too many other projects that need working on that have been put on hold till cooler weather. Mars has two rows ready to plant in. Now I need to decide what it is I want to put in them. I can guarantee one thing.... there won't be more than a couple of tomato plants! Got to have some for eating fresh ya know? LOL!

I'm taking the day off from tomato's today and focusing on peppers. I've been waiting until I got enough banana peppers now to try making a new recipe I've been thinking about. Some Sweet Hot Banana Pepper rings. I'll try to remember to take some pictures of the finished product.

And as if I weren't busy enough, while I was at the dreaded grocery store yesterday I spied a huge bag of banana's that was marked at $1.29. There must be at least ten pounds of them. Since I don't have any room in the freezer (due to tomato's) I'm going to have to do something with them today as well. Besides making a banana pudding I think I'll try my hand at making some Monkey Butter. I've never made it before so we'll see how that works out. What's left will be dried into banana chips. I wonder if you can re-hydrate banana chips? If you could it would be a neat way to store them to use later on in things like banana bread. Have you ever tried that? If so, how did it work for you?

oh i am soooo jealous of your peppers and tomatoes - woohoo for you gurl - but it is a lot of hard work! make sure to let us know about that tomatoe powder from the tomatoe skins - it sounds really interesting. i guess you would use it in soups and stews and stuff? ya get back to us on that. and congrats on such a great harvest!

kymber It really is alot of work but its going to be so good this winter! I keep on telling myself that as I'm slicing,dicing and prepping. The canning part is easy, the prep... not so much.

I'll be sure to let you know about the tomato powder. The skins are dry now. They are really paper thin and seem like they will powder well. Just have to play with the powder and see if I can make some tomato paste or sauce with it.

Thanks so much! This is our first year with a garden this size. Sometimes I think I may have overextended myself, but I'll get thru it...Once the tomato's are done most everything else is easy! Thanks for stopping by.

I've never heard of rehydrating bananas. If you're planning on experimenting, let me know how that works out.I know you can freeze bananas and dehyrdate them. Can you can banana pudding? I like Stephen's post, banana bread (YUM)!

Man oh man, wouldn't it be great to be able to can banana pudding. I just love that stuff! I usually freeze the old banana's but there's just no room for them. (Tomato's ya know.. hehehe...) I'm with you on the banana bread but dang.. its HOT. I'm looking forward to Fall!

Yes Ma'am, bananas can be re-hydrated. Use equal parts dried banana to equal parts boiling water or heated milk. Let set 1 hour to re-hydrate then whiz in a blender, food processor or mash with a potato masher. One recipe I have says to place the banana chips and milk in a blender, let set for 15 minutes, whiz until smooth, then let set for 10 minutes longer until thick. I have used both methods with equal success.

E-gads! I live in San Jose, CA and NONE of my tomatoes are ripe! I have lots of green tomatoes that are just hanging there doing nothing. I keep buying a tomato or two at the store but I want my good home grown tomatoes. It just isn't hot enough for them this year. I feel bad saying that with so many people suffering through sweltering heat. I wish I could take some of your heat from you!

Wow, what a bumper crop! We just now have tomato's really coming in. they are still pretty green but are finally showing on the plants. I par-cook tomatos to a runny sauce and then put in the freezer. The water seperates out and makes "cooking them down" for sauce much quicker. I'll often can a batch or 2 during the winter this way to heat the house.

You certainly can "dry" bananas in the dehydrator, but you must use citric acid or "fruit freah" as they will darken. They will be softer and more leathery that commercially prepared "chips" as those are usually freeze dried. That gives the the crispy crunch we all love. When you reconstitute them they are suitable of mashing and flavoring breads but never really look or feel like bananas in the fresh state.

I also dehydtre tomatoes and powder them. I use the powder in soups, stews, and sauces for an extra flovor boost.

Don't get weary with all the canning and production. It will be so wonderful in the winter. My best to you.Kate in Colorado

Thanks for the great info Kate. It's good to know exactly "how" the banana's re-hydrate. Might just work for storage. We don't really care for the dried chips around here but they would be good for breads and muffins. Sure would take a lot less room to store.

I am hoping that the tomato powder can be made into tomato sauce or paste. I've read that you can do it but until I do it myself..... well you know. Thanks for stopping by and taking time to give some good info!

Looks like me & you have been doing the same thing the last few weeks,lol I am to the point where I am sick of Tomato's. I go on Saturday Mornings to the Store's for their mark down peppers, green beans, bells peppers and anything else I find cheap in the Vegetable's and come home & Canned them up. I love Canning but I am with you on the Prep it takes forever but at least you are rewarded with Healthy Foods.

Girl, if we lived closer together we could knock this stuff out in no time at all! As for the store mark-downs, they are few and far between around here. One thing about moving to this part of Oklahoma is that there aren't many choices of stores and the ones that are around here don't really have many "mark down" sales. Heck one of the stores only marks things that are past their expiration date.Good to see ya CCM!

Can I say this? I am SO, SO jealous. :) heehee - your harvest looks great and I just want to come sit in your store room/pantry and bask in the glory of all your hard work. Nicely done Sci.

We went on vacation for a week and no one to water our plants - but for first timers we can home to a mess of cherry tomatoes, a green pepper [our second one! woot!] and a bunch of anaheim peppers. Oh - and the watermelon plant is kicking the beehoohoo out of the squash plant in the back yard. Who knew watermelons were so prolific? Not this newbie, let me tell you. I thought the squash would slap it all down - but nope. Next time I will plant them 10 feet apart instead of 5. Duh.

Thanks for the recipe for salsa. We are making one batch tomorrow evening for dinner. :) YUM.

Oh Skippy, isn't it fun to grow your own foods? I know sometimes I might sound like I'm not enjoying it all but thats just part of the territory I guess. (actually I AM getting pretty tired of tomato's at the moment) I'm so glad that you are getting such good results. And its just your first year :-)

Let me know how the salsa came out. I hope you like it as much as we do!

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